Foreign Drivers to Pay

Germany has announced plans to tax the millions of foreign motorists who use its roads, including the famous autobahn motorway, from 2016 forwards.

The Autobahn is the federal controlled-access highway system in Germany.

The official German term is Bundesautobahn, which translates as "federal motorway". The system started to be constructed and started in 1925-26 under the Weimar Government and began to be highly developed by the Nazi regime under Adolf Hitler.

German autobahns have no federally mandated speed limit, although limits are posted (and enforced) in areas that are urbanized, substandard, accident-prone, or under construction. In case of bad weather, speed limits come into play and are frequently enforced. On speed-unrestricted stretches, an advisory speed limit (Richtgeschwindigkeit) of 130 kilometres per hour (81 mph) applies.

In 2008, an estimated 52% of the autobahn network had only the recommended speed limit; 15% had temporary speed limits due to weather or traffic conditions and 33% had permanent speed limits. 

In 2014, the ruling coalition of Saxony confirmed its rejection of a general speed limit on autobahns, instead advocating dynamic traffic controls where appropriate.

Transport Minister Alexander Dobrindt said the levy should raise 2.5bn euros (£1.98bn) over four years.

Vehicles will be issued with badges, costing between 10 euros for 10 days and about 100 euros for a year-long permit.

Critics of the planned toll say it violates EU anti-discrimination laws.

While vehicles registered in Germany will also have to pay the charge, their owners will be compensated by an equivalent reduction in a separate car tax.

Austria and the Netherlands have complained about the planned tax, the AFP news agency reports.

However, Mr. Dobrindt has insisted that the law - due to be passed this year - does not violate EU rules against discrimination.

His conservative Christian Social Union party campaigned for a toll in last year's elections.

The party's base is in the southern region of Bavaria, where residents have long complained of having to pay to use roads in neighbouring Austria and Switzerland, while motorists from those countries pay nothing to drive in Germany.